Muskogee council calls special election and approves amended ordinance for 0.5% excise tax

The City Council of the City of Muskogee on May 6 approved a resolution calling a special election in July 2025 and adopted an amended ordinance to impose a one-half of 1% excise tax on sales taxable under the Oklahoma sales tax code to fund capital expenditures and related debt service.

City staff described the council actions as procedural changes tied to polling-place redistricting rather than substantive changes to the tax proposal. "This is simply a housekeeping item," a city staff member said during discussion.

The resolution (identified in the meeting as amended resolution number 30 29) authorizes the special election to submit amended ordinance number 42 63 a to registered voters. The ordinance, as described on the record, would levy a one-half of 1% excise tax in addition to any existing city, county and state excise taxes and apply to gross proceeds or gross receipts from sales taxable under the Oklahoma sales tax code. The council-recorded text specifies that proceeds may be used to fund capital expenditures, including but not limited to streets, utilities, public safety and community facilities, or to pay debt service in connection with those capital expenditures.

The amended ordinance as read into the record sets an effective date of Oct. 1, 2025, and a termination date of Sept. 30, 2033. City staff told the council the item reflects changes to which polling places will be open or closed because of redistricting. "There was some redistricting of the polls, and so we had to switch which polls were being closed and which ones were remaining open," the same city staff member said.

Both the resolution calling the election and the amended ordinance were approved by roll call votes. The council recorded unanimous "yes" votes from Mike Brawley, Tom Martindale, Dan Hall, Shirley Hilton Flannery, Tracy Hoose and Mayor Patrick Kale. A mover and seconder were recorded on the public record, but the meeting transcript does not identify their names for the motion or second.

The special-call meeting lasted about four minutes and focused on the two related agenda items; no extended debate or public comment is recorded. The meeting was then adjourned.

The council's action places the proposed excise tax before voters at the special election; further implementation will depend on the election outcome and any subsequent administrative steps required by city election procedures.